Scott Wykoff's Blog

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sheeran The News

Every town has those broadcasters who just about everybody bonds with, be it on the radio or on TV.

I work alongside one here in Baltimore, WBAL's Keith Mills. When I'm on stories with Keith people come up to him to say hi. All with a big smile of their face. Some even ask for autographs. Millsie (as he's known by is friends) might have even been a bigger star than Cal during our week of coverage a couple years ago in Cooperstown. The people of Baltimore love Keith, and more importantly, Keith loves the people of Baltimore.

Over the weekend I spent time with a man who is a broadcasting legend in Philadelphia. A man who loves the people of Philadelphia, and who is loved by Philadelphians in kind.

Meet Dick Sheeran.

Even though Dick has been retired for a few years now (and moved away to Atlantic City), the "City of Brotherly Love" still has a love affair with this guy. He connects with people. People connect with him.

Heck in Atlantic City on Saturday night the waiter at the table I shared with Dick asked if that was the famous guy on TV sitting next to me at the table.

Baltimore would have loved this guy.

For more than 3 decades, Dick was a reporter and anchor on KYW TV. Sheeran covered big stories like the approval of Atlantic City casino gaming and Pope John Paul's visit to Philadelphia in 1979. Dick was the one who flew to Monaco to cover the funeral of Princess Grace (like him a Philadelphia native). And how about those 36 consecutive Miss America pageants that he covered. Dick is the type of reporter I grew-up wanting to be. What a thrill it has been getting to know him and learning more about him.

Before making a name for himself on TV, Sheeran worked at KYW Radio from 1968 to 1973. He got his start in the journalism at the Philadelphia Daily News where he began as a copy boy and worked his way up to reporter and, eventually, night city editor. Dick told the story at dinner at Gallagher's Steakhouse at Resorts along the boardwalk in AC about how he got his real start in the business. He carried the papers on his shoulder that he delivered in his neighborhood. He's a South Philly guy. He went to Temple University. Born and bred in the town that he spent his life covering. Dick Sheeran is Philadelphia. Philadelphia is Dick Sheeran.

Last year I walked out of a restaurant with Dick and a group of people came up to him to say how much they enjoyed watching him on TV. Dick couldn't have been more gracious or engaging as he talked with his fans. But to Dick they weren't fans, they were new friends.

And Dick can tell one heck of a story. Boy!

Dick told me how he worked with the likes of Maria Shriver, Andrea Mitchell, Jessica Savitch, Tom Snyder, and Ernie Kovacs (sorry Dick, just a joke, I know you didn't work with him).

If there was food, Dick was on the story and would incorporate it into his story. Just ask him, he'll tell you where to get the best Philly cheese steak. He said this thing with food dates back to the gravy (Philly talk for spaghetti sauce) that his Mom served him as a boy in South Philadelphia. Dick says the gravy was better every time his Mom made it.

Dick would do anything to make a story "sing". He even went topless in a sweeps week story he did from Muscle Beach in California. His driver on that trip to L.A. was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Leave it to Dick to pal around with the then-Mr Universe who would turn out to be a movie action hero and then Governor of California. Not to mention the husband of that cub reporter he took under his wing at KYW.

In retirement, Dick and his wife of almost 50 years have moved to Atlantic City. Dick is now teaching a future generation of journalists. At dinner he told me about a course he's taking now in NYC. He's learning all about opera. Dick loves trains. He rides the rails back and forth from Atlantic City to Philadelphia and New York. Always proud of the senior citizen fare he pays!

Dick has done it all. And through it all he has been a "best friend" to the people who watched him on TV. I've seen that relationship first hand.

But it's the relationship I have with Dick that amazes me.

Here's this "broadcasting pioneer" who actually seems like he enjoys talking with me and sharing stories and experiences with me. It's even more amazing to me that Dick Sheeran actually treats me like I'm a somebody in the business that he has excelled in. Here's a guy who is old enough to be my father and he treats me like I'm one of the guys. A reporter After listening to some of my stories he told me I do good work. After learning about my fascination with the history of radio he sent me a book chronicling the legendary WSM Radio in Nashville.

Why does this man who has done it all in the broadcasting business take the time to make me feel important? Why does he welcome me to his world?

It's because that's who Dick Sheeran is.

Just ask anyone on the streets of Philadelphia or on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Or just ask me!